Alberta Man Loses Job Over Cannabis-Based Cancer Treatment

Clayton Hannah, 34, is taking his ex-potential employer, Tolko Industries, to the Alberta Human Rights Commission for discrimination due to medical condition and treatment.

Hannah suffers from follicular lymphoma, a non-aggressive form of blood cancer that is slow-moving enough that with treatment, he is able to live a completely normal life, including his job as a millwright.

Among his treatments, Hannah uses cannabis oil, something he disclosed to Tolko when they headhunted him for a job on October 9th.

According to Hannah, after he disclosed his treatment, Tolko rescinded its offer because according to them there would be no way of knowing whether he’d been using marijuana while on the job. Hannah says he understands their concern over anyone operating in such a dangerous field while possibly impaired, but that there is a very clear difference between cannabis oil used for medicinal purposes and recreationally using marijuana.

Hannah asked Tolko to explain the reason for rescinding the offer and initially they told him that it was pending due to a third cannabis review. When he asked for the policy or procedure of this, they refused to give it to him.

In response to a request from Global News, Tolko said: “At Tolko, employment decisions are a confidential matter. We respect all candidates’ and employees’ privacy, and we also abide by Alberta’s Personal Information Protection Act.”

Arkansas regulators have announced they have formally awarded all 32 licences for cannabis dispensaries that will operate under the state’s medical cannabis program. The dispensaries are now authorized to begin serving patients.

The government of British Columbia says that it is going to be a gradual process for its legal marijuana industry to mature, as the provincial and local governments are still working on structuring and implementing their retail systems.

Billy Caldwell, the 12 year old boy with autism suffering from epilepsy, who sparked a national debate on cannabis oil, has received a license from the Northern Irish Authorities to be treated at home.

Party planners and festival promoters are disappointed about a recent decision from the British Columbia government turning down the option for special permits to allow access of cannabis at special events.

England’s top cabinet officials are in a fierce battle over the country’s medical cannabis laws. Jeremy Hunt, health secretary of Britain, said he supports the use of cannabis oil for patients, and is calling on the government to review its stance of the issue.

After a court case that had many citizens of the state questioning the common sense of the law, a judge has sided with the family of Brooke Adams and will allow her to bring cannabis oil to school for emergency treatment of a rare form of epilepsy.

The California State Legislature passed a bill yesterday that will require prosecutors in the state to erase or reduce thousands of past marijuana-related criminal convictions. When signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown, the bill could reduce or erase almost 220,000 cases on file.

Recreational cannabis will take a “plain Jane” look and feel when it hits shelves in Canada later this summer. All packaging will contain only a standardized cannabis symbol and one of 14 health warning messages. These recommended packaging rules are part of a Health Canada report summarizing feedback from 3,200 people on Canada’s regulatory approach to cannabis.

Travellers caught sneaking even small amounts of cannabis into Canada could soon be facing fines. Although severe criminal penalties will remain an option, the federal border agency is developing administrative sanctions to give it more flexibility to deal with people who arrive at the Canadian border with cannabis.

A measure to protect banks from prosecution for dealing with marijuana handling companies has been rejected. The measure, introduced by Ohio Republican David Joyce, would have prevented the U.S Department of the Treasury from taking any action to “penalize a financial institution solely because the institution provides financial services to an entity that is a manufacturer, producer, or a person that participates in any business or organized activity that involves handling marijuana or marijuana products" in accordance with state or local law.

A health reform measure that could lead to legal cultivation, manufacturing, and prescribing of medical cannabis in Ecuador was unanimously approved by the National Assembly’s standing committee on health.

According to a recently released internal government letter sent from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), cannabidiol, or CBD, does not meet the criteria for federal control.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has rejected a call by an anti-marijuana legalization group to list cannabis on its list of over-the-counter drugs that are generally seen as unsafe or ineffective.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is seeking the public’s opinion on the “abuse potential, actual abuse, medical usefulness, trafficking, and impact of scheduling changes on availability for medical use” of cannabis.

Long-awaited legislation that makes obtaining a pardon for simple possession of cannabis cheaper and quicker made it to the House of Commons in Canada late last week, but critics say it won’t be enough to right decades of problems caused by cannabis criminalization.

Last month, Judge Karen Gievers from Leon County Circuit Court ruled that Florida Legislature’s ban on smoking medical marijuana was unconstitutional. However, despite her Monday deadline for the state to establish a distribution system, patients are still legally barred from smoking their cannabis.

When the Canadian government passed its cannabis legislation last June, it did not introduce or stipulate any workplace drug-testing rules nor did it make changes to the federal labour code. Rather, it opted to provide general guidelines, resulting in a range of rules around cannabis for the eight percent of the labour population that work in federally regulated industries.

Health Canada has changed the direction it takes on its health campaigns aimed at teens about the use of cannabis. Unlike in the past, where the undisputed message was simply “don't do it”, they are taking a more realistic approach of harm reduction.

Three major Indian science organizations - The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the Indian Council for Medical Research and the Department of Biotechnology - are joining to promote research into marijuana-derived drugs as well as other herbal drugs.

A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers sent a letter to Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Robert Wilkie on Thursday asking him to initiate a “rigorous clinical trial” of medical marijuana. The focus, according to the group, would be on treating post traumatic stress disorder and chronic pain.

Lebanon could be the latest country to continue the trend of medical marijuana legalization around the world. The country, who hired prominent consulting firm Mckinsey Consulting, is looking to spark its faltering economy and sees medical marijuana as a possible economic boost.

According to an analysis of U.S. crime data by The Conversation, the legalization of medical marijuana does not correlate to an increase in crime rates, and in some cases, can even decrease it. The analysis looked specifically at violent or property crime.

With various bills pending in the Florida House and others in the Senate, the current status or recent progress of the state of Florida’s cannabis policies can be confusing. The following is a summary of the various cannabis policies as of this week.

The government of Luxembourg voted unanimously to pass a draft law to decriminalize use the use of cannabis for patients dealing with diseases such as cancer, multiple sclerosis or neurodegenerative diseases.

To battle the lack of financial services offered to cannabis companies, the California senate has overwhelmingly approved a state-backed bank that will be able to handle financial matters for legal cannabis businesses.

Since October 2018, recreational cannabis has been legal in Canada- but municipalities across the country are still unclear about their authority over consumption. There are a lot of legal grey areas and uncertainties as to how much control municipalities have.

Medical Marijuana Inc. the first publicly traded cannabis company in the United States, commented on the recent statement released by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) on cannabidiol (CBD) products.

On Wednesday, New Jersey lawmakers unveiled bills aimed to introduce a recreational marijuana market, expand the state’s medical marijuana program and revamp the rules for expunging drug-related and other violations.

Patients in the empire state who are currently paying out of pocket for their medical marijuana may soon be getting help from the New York taxpayers, thanks to a bill that would force public insurers to cover it.

New York’s district attorney office of Erie County will be dismissing 35 outstanding bench warrants for low-level charges of possession of cannabis. The decision was compelled by Mayor Byron Brown of Buffalo following an announcement that the city’s police department would no longer be enforcing low-level cannabis-related crimes.

On Tuesday the Oklahoma State Board of Health approved the state’s medical marijuana program with one major alteration: smokable flower is to be banned in dispensaries. The ban however, is not set to those who grow their own cannabis at home.

On tuesday Oklahoma voters approved legalizing medical marijuana. The vote proposed no limitations on the number of business licenses, and stated that doctors can recommend medical marijuana for any ailment they see fit.

At least two lawsuits were filed against the state of Oklahoma after the Oklahoma State Board of Health approved its regulations for medical marijuana implementation. As a result, Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter announced that he would dedicate a team of attorneys to review the legal challenges.

Sources in the provincial government have told the Globe and Mail that government officials, specifically finance minister Vic Fedeli and Attorney General Caroline Mulroney, will announce a plan to open up Ontario’s cannabis retail segment to private vendors.

Approximately 10,000 individuals are expected to apply for free pardons for convictions of cannabis possession incurred during prohibition if the federal government approves a bill to compensate those with criminal records, Ottawa estimates.

New regulations expected to be unveiled by the federal government this week will allow licensed cannabis producers to begin cultivating outdoors. Under the current system licensed producers are required to grow in greenhouses and indoor facilities where security is tight, the environment is controlled, and every interaction with a plant is recorded on video.

A planned study by the government of Utah aimed at looking into cannabis’ effect on pain has been delayed due to the federal government. The study, which was planned to be completed in March, is waiting on approval of the federal government so that the state can get the necessary supplies shipped.

According to law enforcement across the country there has yet to be a spike in marijuana-impaired driving in the month since legalization. However, they say users need to become more aware of laws around storing marijuana in a vehicle and passengers smoking.

Government consultations on proposed regulations for edibles, extracts and topicals conclude today following two months of ongoing discussion, and many industry representatives are decrying the suggested potency restrictions for edibles as being potentially harmful to the environment.

Quebec City’s Mayor Regis Labeaume has announced that the city will be taking a conservative approach come legalization of recreational cannabis on October 17. It will be forbidden to smoke or use cannabis in any public space, and it will be illegal to be high in public.

Quebec’s incoming premier Francois Legault told reporters today that, just as he said during the election, he believes that the legal age for recreational cannabis should be 21, and that the province will be setting that age.

Later this month members of Medicinal Cannabis Reform Scotland are planning to meet with senior officers from Police Scotland, representatives of public health minist Joe Fitzpatrick, and the NHS in Holyrood. The campaigners are looking to open up the discussion for decriminalising marijuana in Scotland and are seeking support in the government.

On Tuesday, South Africa’s top court unanimously legalized the private use of cannabis, a move that upheld a decision by a lower court stating it was “unconstitutional and therefore invalid” to criminalize the drug.

South Korea’s government has begun the process of becoming the first country in Eastern Asian to legalize some form of medical marijuana, marking a major shift in how the drug is seen in the ultra-conservative society.

State banking officials in 12 US states signed and sent a letter to Federal House leaders last week urging them to create “safe harbor” legislation for banks doing business in state-legal marijuana industries.

A survey polling the British public found that support for the legalization of marijuana has skyrocketed over the previous six months, after notable medical cases in the country and Canadian legalization.

The Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) in Switzerland is aiming to make access to medical cannabis easier. The organization has given the Federal Department of Home Affairs until Summer 2019 to come up with possible regulations to change the current situation. Permission for medical cannabis use is currently set on a case-by-case basis, making it difficult for patients and delays treatment.

Valeria Dora, the President of the Pharmacy Association in Zurich, has come out in support of marijuana legalization, saying more and more people in Switzerland are consuming cannabis, and selling it legally would provide a safer market.

On Saturday the Texas Republican party voted to endorse marijuana decriminalization, medical marijuana, and industrial hemp, as well as calling on the federal government to lower marijuana’s classification from schedule 1.

Interior Minister Sajid Javid announced on Thursday that the United Kingdom will reverse its position on medical cannabis and begin to allow cannabis-derived medicinal products.
Interior Minister Sajid Javid announced on Thursday that the United Kingdom will reverse its position on medical cannabis and begin to allow cannabis-derived medicinal products.

Victoria city councillor Ben Isitt is introducing a motion regarding cannabis lounges that will be discussed by council at their August 9th meeting. Specifically, the motion requests the city to compare Victoria’s clean air regulations with Denver’s, a city that allowed cannabis lounges after Colorado legalization took effect.

There has been a massive amount of attention from the Canadian media over the last few months about Canadians being banned from the U.S. for participating in the legal cannabis industry. However, according to U.S. immigration lawyer Julie Kruger, those participating in the Canadian market should have nothing to fear.